holdingon

why can't the EIS ramp up the pressure

Because that would be acting like a real union, if they did that.

I won't defend the EIS after the fiasco of last year, but a work to contract is a complete waste of time.  It just defers work that ultimatley SMT, local authorities etc insist gets done

The only way to actually get our point across is through striking.  Parents may then sit up and take notice.

And we should be striking over CFE not just pensions

Working to rule takes far too long to be anywhere near to be effective and if it does become effective the original reason why you started it has more or less been forgotten about. I am no left wing radical but the thought of trying to control a class at 67 or 68 years of age scares me and it is only a matter of time when teachers start to die in front of pupils. It wouldn't surprise me if some chancer develops a course around it "dealing with death, a practical experience" starring Mr **********

I also feel ts not as effective because some teachers would do it and others wouldn't. In my school there are a few who have said they couldn't work to rule. This ruins it for the ones who do, because it makes them look bad but also, the impact is lost. It would be much more effective than striking, if everyone did it.

pinkfairy2

I also feel ts not as effective because some teachers would do it and others wouldn't. In my school there are a few who have said they couldn't work to rule. This ruins it for the ones who do, because it makes them look bad but also, the impact is lost. It would be much more effective than striking, if everyone did it.

But not everyone striked either, and there will be less strikers next time. At least with a work to rule the action is constant.

davieee

Working to rule takes far too long to be anywhere near to be effective and if it does become effective the original reason why you started it has more or less been forgotten about.

Far too long? It's been 4 months since last strike, and to be honest, we've not seen much effect of the first strike. In that time, if most teachers had worked to rule, we'd have an awful lot more evidence to pass on to unions regarding the lack of time to prepare materials for CFE.

The problem with work to rule is that we have contratual obligations and not doing those would be a breach of contract. Therefore,it becomes impossible to figure out what you have to do and what you can leave out. There might be teachers who can calculate it all and really work to rule but I certainly can't.

catmother

The problem with work to rule is that we have contratual obligations and not doing those would be a breach of contract. Therefore,it becomes impossible to figure out what you have to do and what you can leave out.

It's not impossible. Your working time agreement should have details about how your hours should be used during the year. Every week, keep a log of every task you do and how long you did it for. In the log, include jobs which still need to be done (that week). Prioritise according to your working time agreement. If you get asked to develop some materials and you don't have the time, then your log will support that. It may be that your working time agreement includes something on the time spent on development work, in which case, keeping a log of development work is all thats needed.

catmother

There might be teachers who can calculate it all and really work to rule but I certainly can't.

Cheesywhosits,I refer you to my previous comment!

I'm aware that some teachers will have no problems calculating what they are doing and standing their grounds about it. Some others,like me,will not be confident about it for various reasons that i'm not going to explain on TES. This is why I prefer striking as a form of protest.

Whilst I appreciate that there may be reasons preventing you from working to rule , I hope you are understanding of those who would prefer not to strike.

CheesyWotsits

Whilst I appreciate that there may be reasons preventing you from working to rule , I hope you are understanding of those who would prefer not to strike.

 

I can understand them perfectly.  Here's a website which they can use to express their conscientious vews ...

http://www.chas.org.uk/helping_chas/donating

You've lost me. The objections to striking centre mostly around not being able to give up the pay short-term. The other objections to striking are the lack of impact the last strike had and the perception that occasional strikes are weak at best. What has that site got to do with these concerns?

catmother

The problem with work to rule is that we have contratual obligations and not doing those would be a breach of contract. Therefore,it becomes impossible to figure out what you have to do and what you can leave out. There might be teachers who can calculate it all and really work to rule but I certainly can't.

Not only is it not impossible, it is about to take place as of 14 May.

http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php

nittygritty

Not only is it not impossible, it is about to take place as of 14 May.

I'm in the SSTA,therefore I'm well aware that it's about to take place. However,I'm still not convinced of how effective it will be. How long would it take to have any real effect,will people even notice that there is some kind of action going on?

nittygritty

There might be teachers who can calculate it all and really work to rule but I certainly can't.

Let me help ...

 

22.5 hours maz contact (tick)

 

7.5 hrs personal prep (at a time and place etc) (tick)

 

5 hrs divided according to your school working time agreement. (tick)

 

The only issue is the 5 hours.  If you have parents night that week then that's it.  (Most schools allow 5 hrs for pn's including preparation).

In any other week, you look at the tasks involved during the 5 hrs and ask your line manager to prioritise these so that the most important can be competed within your 35 hrs.

I agree, it will be a learning curve but I expect teachers will get the hang  of it by August!

[edited by: Dominie at 19:46 (GMT 0) on 1-5-2012]

Dominie

22.5 hours maz contact (tick)

7.5 hrs personal prep (at a time and place etc) (tick)

5 hrs divided according to your school working time agreement. (tick)

Of course. However,my problem/fear is that to claim that you've used up all your hours and cannot do anything else is to open you to scrutinity about what you have done and when you have done it.

Dominie - you have quoted the wrong person!

nittygritty

Dominie - you have quoted the wrong person!

Indeed.I was the one who said it!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17917470#?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter